Tullibardine 500 Sherry Finish

Rating: 10/23. I've had some positive experiences with Tullibardine in the past. Nothing has truly amazed me, but I've generally enjoyed them. I appreciate sherry aging, so I'm hopeful this will be good. Nose: Uh oh. It's thin and grainy. I detect some fresh fruity sweetness in the background, but it feels like a reasonably fresh sherry cask had some young scotch added for a brief finishing before being moved to the next batch. It's not full, and there's not much happening here. Palate: What a relief! This is much fuller than the nose indicated, with ample sweetness combining restrained malt from the grain with some sort of ambiguous fruit. The grain comes in to dry the profile and keep the sweetness in check. That's all fine, but there's also a distinct alcohol flavor present. That's simply unpleasant. There's also a nice spiciness, which adds some earthiness, but as the palate progresses, the alcohol becomes more and more noticeable. Finish: Hints of that earthy spice. Mostly, it's just alcohol, unfortunately. The finish is actually unenjoyable. Conclusion: This isn't actively bad, but it is disappointingly certainly not good. It's light, uncomplex, and shows its alcohol. I would choose Dewar's 15 (13) over this by a significant margin. Highland Park 12 (12) is also clearly superior. Highland Journey, on the other hand, is about equal to this. The Highland Journey has a cleaner, but starker and harsher profile. Both are clearly quite young. I'm considering a 10 or 11 for this. I believe both it and Highland Journey are receiving 10s.

This was my first experience with Tullibardine, and it was quite enjoyable. It's an intriguing sherry-finished spirit that genuinely impressed me with its potent Pedro Ximenez character. Those familiar with Pedro Ximenez Sherry and whisky aged in PX casks know they share similarities but aren't identical. This Tullibardine Sherry Finish, however, offers a remarkable lingering taste that's the closest I've found to actual sherry wine. It's bottled at 43% ABV and has a tawny hue. The aroma presents subtly, with notes of dry cake, dulce de leche, tobacco, dried grass, blackberries, and a hint of herbs. The palate is fantastic. It starts with honey, PX sherry, and blackberry jam, then unexpectedly bursts with delightful spice. It's intensely sweet and spicy, with a note of clove. The finish is outstanding. It truly tastes like a sherry wine. Initially, there's a touch of bitter tobacco, followed by an eruption of the finest Pedro Ximenez Sherry Wine. It's not whisky; it's sherry wine. Excellent work. In summary, this whisky fulfills its "sherry finish" claim. You clearly taste and appreciate the highland malt, then there's a brief pause before, bam! A sherry wine conclusion. A score of 92/100. A superb drink.

Over the past few weeks, I've sampled the Sovereign, 225, & 228 expressions, liking each one more than the last. Now, with this 500 sherry finish, let's see if the trend continues. The sherry is prominent on the nose, with dark fruits appearing first. It's reminiscent of children's cherry cough syrup, not in sweetness, but in concentrated flavor. After airing, the malt emerges, with hints of dark cocoa appearing and disappearing. It's not dull, but it feels a bit uninspired. The taste doesn't offer anything new, but what's present is good. It starts slick and oily, which is a positive, allowing enjoyment of the robust cereal and honey blend it presents. Baking spice follows, genuinely trying to add some liveliness to the rich umami that has been present throughout the front and mid-palate. Beyond that, there's not much else. The finish lingers for a medium duration, with some warm oaky tannins that are slightly on the bitter side. Overall, this is a tasty dram, but the overly syrupy sherry influence isn't particularly exciting. Perhaps I'm a bit jaded now and more drawn to adventurous profiles.

Gifts can be surprising, especially from family. I was impressed when a relative (not known for picking whiskies) gave me this Tullibardine 500 Sherry Finish. I tend to dislike having too many possessions and often keep well-meaning gifts longer than necessary out of obligation. Tullibardine boasts a long heritage in Scotland, dating back to 1488. For the Tullibardine 500, this whisky matures in both ex-bourbon barrels and Spanish sherry butts. The nose is festive, with clove, honey, apple, and orange rind, evoking a hot toddy. The sip delivers a wave of warmth, conjuring images of spiced sugar plums and oak, followed by a fairly brief finish. While this whisky won't inspire me to dance, its sweetness and the sherry cask's character bring a smile. Tullibardine 500 is ideal for fans of deep spice and sherry. What the spice rush might lack for me is compensated by its elegant, embossed, heavy-bottomed glass bottle. 7.5/10

Imagine if you will an impressionist painting made as a speyside-style drop. In the way portraits can be detailed and exact, impressionism gives you a different view. Or think of a speyside tribute act. Or speyside whisky painting by numbers! This is a good pour for the money. It isn't Glenfarclas (yes, I know Tullibardine isn't a speyside, it's a Highland, but in this case it might as well be), more a mostly successful attempt to produce that Christmas cake style, which loses detail but delivers on flavor. The tastes are somehow sharp and nuance is lost. You'll know the flavor profile. Brown sugar. Raisins. Slightly nutty. Basically rich sherry. Caramel. Vanilla. A good first foot into the taste and style. I enjoyed it despite limitations.

This was obtained through a whisky raffle at a fundraising event. It's not one I've had before, so I'm not disappointed, though it's likely not something I would purchase myself. The nose has tangy green apple, vanilla, and a slightly musty scent. The palate is similar, with much of the same. The texture is fairly creamy. The slight musty funk alternates between seeming like an off-note and giving this more interest than it might otherwise have. The finish goes quite flat, and then I detect more sherry cask influence, which doesn't seem particularly impressive. Considering its value, I believe this is comparable to a decent blended scotch and would expect it to be priced accordingly.